Page 46 of Cold-Blooded Creatures

I let the towel drop on the floor and inspected the fresh cut above my hipbone. Superficial as it was, it had already stopped bleeding and would heal in no time. I poked the edge of it and savored the weak pulsing ache.

There was definitely something wrong with me.

I collapsed on the enormous bed and burrowed under the comfiest sheets ever to be in existence. The fluffy duvet enveloped me in a cloud, and a soapy scent tickled my nose. The sheets were fresh. Someone must’ve changed them. Thank the supposed gods in the sky, as I really wasn’t looking forward to sleeping in the bloodstained ones.

Yellow lights from the street down below immersed my bedroom in a cozy dimness. Thick pale gray shades framed the windows, but I didn’t dare to close them. The last time they’d been drawn, things hadn’t ended so well for me.

A few days ago, I’d been locked in a cage called Ilasall. I had a plan to poison the city head—the man who held the tight fist on the citizens—and clean out our government. Today, I’d found out there was a sanctuary, a refuge city, a force of resistance. People who shared my goals.

Only, their leader and his second-in-command had stolen me for themselves. Uprooted me from my life. Said I belonged to them. Stirred fury in my gut.

I wasnota possession.

I shoved my face into a pillow and screamed. When my vocal cords refused to cooperate anymore, I curled into a ball. All I wanted was to sleep away the nightmare I’d ended up in. Hopefully, I’d awaken in my favorite clearing out in the forest, surrounded by soothing starlight.

16

KALI

Iawakened in the same godsdamned room in their compound. Evidently, I’d slept in, as the sun’s globe shone through the windows.

On the one hand, I wanted to continue wallowing in the luxurious fluffiness of the duvet that was more like a cloud and not a bedsheet. But on the other, the need to get back to my life sharply poked my side, nagging me to get moving.

Yawning, I threw the duvet aside as the last of summer’s heat turned my residence in the bed unwelcome. Fatigue swirled in my muscles, but I couldn’t stay in a foreign bed all day. Wiggling my toes, I savored the last few moments of rare comfort and jumped out of bed.

Stomping to the bathroom naked, I stretched my arms above my head and searched for the hideous set of a purple t-shirt and loose pants from last night.

They weren’t there.

Not confident enough to run outside my room without so much as underwear on, I returned to the bedroom and scratched my head at the neat pile of folded clothing lying at the foot of my large bed, right on the corner, where I couldn’t kick it off in my sleep.

Beggars couldn’t be choosers, so I pulled the white t-shirt on without hesitation. Oversized, for sure, the fabric covering half of my ass, but it was better than nothing.

I searched for underwear, but the idiot who’d dared to venture into my room hadn’t considered bringing any. Unless the black cotton shorts, which were unmistakably a man’s, were supposed to serve as such. But I put them on. Again, not like I had a choice.

No choice in coming here, no choice in yesterday’s clothing, no choice in the food served to me at dinner, no choice in spending the night or not, and now no choice even in underwear.

Yay.

Slipping on a pair of gray sweatpants next, I tightened the drawstrings to ensure they stayed on my waist. The clothing was too small for Gedeon’s frame, so either he’d brought someone else’s clothing—didn’t sound likely—or two visitors had come here during the night. How had I not heard anyone?

On top of everything, my previously mottled black sneakers now waited by the door, clean and fresh. In addition to being scrubbed to the best they could look, the right one had a piece of paper sticking out of it.

Curiosity was my downfall, so I snatched it out of the shoe, rushing to read it like it would burn me if held for too long.

Little death, explore the compound.

Feel free to run away from me.

I would enjoy nothing more than chasing you when I return.

Gedeon.The arrogant prick hadn’t even signed it.

But his absence simplified my escape.

After using the bathroom, I peeked out the door and relaxed. Zion wasn’t in the hallway anymore.

Freedom.